Supporting meaus eor book-type bindees



July 30, 1929. A. M. MARTIN I SUPPORTING MEANS FOR BOOK TYPE BINDERS Filed Nov. 26, 1926 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. M. MARTIN 1,722,810

July 30, 1929.

I SUPPORTING MEANS FOR BOOK TYPE BINDERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 26, 1926 July 30, 1929. A M MART|N V 1,722,810

SUPPORTING MEANS FOR BOOK TYPE BINDERS Filed NOV. 26, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 J y 1929- A. M. MAR' l'lN SUPPORTING MEANS FOR BOOK TYPE BINDERS Filed Nov. 26', 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 -Patented July 30, 1929.

ALFRED M. MAR-TIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SUPPORTING MEANS FDR BOOK-TYPE BINDERIS.

Application filed November 28, 1926.

The present invention relates to means for holding or supporting for use binders which open and close book fashion, with more particular reference to such as have opposed sets of prongs for holding cards or sheets, with a hinge connection between the parts holding the prongs. Such devices are ordinarily termed loose-leaf binders.

The chief object of the invention is to simplify, lighten the labor of, and to expedite, the operation of the binders when in actual use, and to do so by means which are simple, cheap, of small size, light in weight, and at the same time strong and durable.

The invention in one aspect contemplates a separate instrumentality which may be used with a large number or" binders whereby the cost of the holding means at a given installation is rendered substantially small, while in another aspect the invention contemplates making such a holding device a component part of each binder whereby the beneficial provisions of this invention are always available without bringing the two devices together.

Other objects and adrantages will appear hereinafter.

In my copending application Serial No. 172,980 filed March 5, 1927, on binders I have illustrated, described and claimed. a highly advantageous and preferred construction in which the supporting means are carried by the binder, that application being a continuation in part and a. division of this application. In this present case I am claiming the invention broadly, and also specifically with respect to the supporting means as av separate instrumentality.

The loose-leaf binders in connection with which the present device is designed for use are substantially large, say ranging from thirteen to nineteen inches in length in the direction of the hinge connection between the backs. When substantially filled with card or sheet material such books are therefore quite heavy.

In using such a binder, without the presentdevice, it is ordinarily placed upon the top of a desk, table or the like and opened up, it for mere reference, by spreading the covers and the contents apart book-fashion. When it is desired to remove and insert or remove sheets a catch is released permitting the backs to swing away from each other Serial No..150,668.

on their hinge connection whereby the opposed prongs are also spread apart. In the frequent turning from one place to another in the book, for the removal or insertion of sheets, it is necessary from the practical standpoint, first to move the prongs toward each other so that intervening series oi cards or sheets can be swung on the prongs from one side to the other. This operation involves raising at least one cover, together with all of the cards or sheets on it, the operator either thus closing the backs together completely until caught and held, or partially, by holding one side of the book in raised position so that the prongs will overlap whereby cards: or sheets may be shifted. from one set of prongs to the other. In

view of the weight of the parts thus manipulated the operation involves the expenditure, especially during the entire day, of a large amount of energy. These books are to a large extent handled by women.

According to the present improvements once the binder is set within the holder it is unnecessary to go through this laborious operation of lifting and swinging the cover and its lead of sheets, since the prongs can be swung apart and toward each other by the simple and easy operation of raising the middle port-ion of the book with the supporting means supporting the book adjacent to its middle hinge connection.

Another advantage is that after the book is inserted in the present holder it may be operated all day long without use of the looking means for holding the backs together, since the opposed prongs can be brought into overlap and separated by a small rocking movement of the backs on their hinge con nection whereby, while the book is lying open, the cards or sheets may simply be swung from one set of prongs to the other. he prongs may at any time then be readily separated somewhat for removal on insertion of sheets, by a slight rocking movement of the backs, the covers not being manipulated at all.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective showing a simple form of the invention and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view thereof; Fig. 3 is an end view of another modification showing a binder held thereby; Fig. 4 shows in perspective another modification, and Figs. 5 and 6 show the same holder in end View, with a binder therein in different stages of operation; Figs. 7 and 8 show in end view what I will designate the preferred embodiment, with binders held thereby in different stages of operation, while Fig. 9 is a perspective of this preferred embodiment of the holder; Figs. 10 and 11 show the device of Figs. 7, 8 and 9 physically attached to the binder, and Fig. 12 is a. perspective of the attachment device of Figs. 10 and 11.

Referring to Fig. 1 this simple form con1 prises what may be a piece of wooden board material 15 having therein a pair of parallel longitudinally-extending slots 16, and another board 17 forming a bottom closure for the slots 16. A pair of upright supports 18 are loosely inserted in the slots 16 and the slots are wide enough to permit of lateral swinging movements of these supporting members 18. The slots 16 terminate short of the base 15 and the members 18 have little or no longitudinal movement.

These supports 18 be of metal or of any other suitable material. They preferably have their upper edges at 19 beveled or otherwise formed to provide a. seat for engaging the binder in the angle between the cover and the adjacent back member when applied as shown by Figs. 5 and 6. The upright supports 18 are spaced apart sulhciently to accommodate the back portion of the binder bet-ween them.

Referring to Fig. 8 the base 20 carries at each end what in practice is preferably a. sheet-metal upright member 21 secured as by screws 22 to the base. A notch or recess 28 is formed in the upper edge of this member 21 at each side and the hinge pin 24 connecting the covers 25 to the backs 26 respectively projects beyond the book slightly so as to rest upon the horizontal bottom surface of the notch formation 28. This arrangement provides that when the back portions of the book are raised and lowered the expansion and contraction may be compensated for through a sliding movement of the hinge pins 24. The construction of this device at the opposite end from that shown in Fig. 8 is in all respects the same as that illustrated.

In Fig. 4 the board 28 carries a thin bottom or base member 29. The uprights may be in all respects as illustrated and described in connection with the device of Fig. 1. These uprights are held, however, by a plurality of screws 81, which, however, and as shown by Figs. 5 and 6, are not driven home, but the heads of which stand away sufficiently to permit the members 80 to swing apart somewhat under the operation of the binder.

In Fig. 7 the base board 88 carries two metallic supports having integral parts 8 and preferably formed of sheet metal and being substantially L-shaped in cross-section. A roll 86 is turned in the top edge of the part 84: to provide a good seat for holding the binder in the manner shown. The parts 85 are loosely held by screws 87 which are not driven home but the heads of which stand off suiiiciently to permit the respective supporting members 84l85 to assume their relative positions as shown by Figs. 7 and 8.

The devices shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are so similar to those shown in Figs. 7 8 and 9 that the same parts will be designated by the same reference characters with a small (4 attached, and no further description of these parts is necessary. The only difference here is that the roll 86 has been cut away at intervals to provide spaces at'tO to accommodate sections of the hinge connection between the back portions 50 of the binder and the hinge members 51 to which the covers 52 are secured, and the hinge pins.

58 pass through not only the hinge lugs between the back portions and the covers but also through the rolls 86. The supporting unit is thus secured as an attachmentto the binder, and is at all times available for use.

'lurning now to the operation of the device it will be noted that in all of the modifications there are means which hold the book or binder with the middle portion thereof elevated from the table or the like when the covers ofthe binder are spread apart and the book is in its normal position for use. It is preferable that the middle portion be so elevated, even when it is desired merely to open the book as for consultation and without operating the catch, since the book may easily thereby be moved bodily in the holoer in the longitudinal. directions, such movements being called for from time to time or suggested by a particular position of the operator. @therwise the back portions of the binder may rest on the base. It will be noted further that these upright holding members have lateral movements, a feature of advantage where the supporting contacts are at the hinges of the covers. the lateral. yielding of these upright members a sliding of the parts upon the support is avoided, and a certain balancing of the book in any position of operation is had. The figures showing changed positions such as 6 and 11 indicate that when it is desired to spread the prongs apart it is only necessary to move upward the middle portion of the binder, namely the position comprising the back members, and which portion lies between the hinge connections of the covers. Such raising of the backs causes the hinge connections of the covers to move farther agart, which movement of the parts is permitted by the looseness of the upright supports on their base connections as described.

W hen it is desired to consult sheets or leaves in the binder the back portion is mere ly inserted in the trough-like structure and the covers spread apart. At such time the llhrough lock holds the backs together. 'None of the figures shows the locking device as being caught. In such figures as 3, 5 and 10 the catch has been released and the backs moved apart slightly. It is not necessary to release the look if it is merely desired to consult sheets. However, if it is desirable to do any writing upon the sheets it will be preferable to release the catch, as by pressing against the finger piece 56 and raising the backs slightly, since this will provide a flatter writing surface on the sheets, a feature quite important.

t is usually desirable, however, to remove and insert sheets, and at various places. In the use of the'present holder this may easily be done, and without manipulating the locking device after it has initially been released, and without raising one cover and the weight of the sheets thereon. For such purposes it is merely necessary to elevate the middle portion, namely the back members, for instance as shown by Figs. 6, 8 and 11. If it is desirable to turn from one place to another among the leaves on the prongs the backs are simply lowered sufficiently to bring the opposed rows of prongs into overlap, whereupon the sheets may be shifted from one side to the other until the proper place is reached, and then by lifting the middle portion again the prongs are separated and sheets may be removed or inserted.

When the use of the book at any particular time is finished it is only necessary to push the middle portion of the binder clownward until the catch operates to hold the backs together, whereupon the book may be lifted out of the holder and put away, and thereupon another book may be inserted in the holder for like operations. In the instance of Figs 10, 11 and 12, however, as already explained, each book is equipped with one of the holders so that the book is not removed therefrom from time to time.

It is thus clear that by means of the present holder the use of the binder in all of its various operations is rendered much more simple, easy and expeditious than according to the old practice hereinabove described.

I contemplate as being included herein all such variations, changes and departures from what is thus specifically illustrated and described as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A support for a prong binder of the character described having a pair of back members hinged together and a cover flexibly connected to each back member, comby movement relative to each other on the hinge connection between them.

2. Binder-supporting means for a binder of the character described having a pair of back members hinged together and a cover flexibly connected to each back member comprising a shallow trough-like structure having side members spaced apart sufliciently to admit the back portion of the binder freely between them, the side members being loosely mounted at their lower portions whereby their upper portions may be moved toward and away from each other and being proportioned to engage the binder approximately at the hinge connections between its lids and its back members respectively when the binder is open.

3. A support for a prong binder of the character described having a pair of back members hinged together and a cover flexibly connected to each back member, comprising a normally horizontal support and a pair of upstanding members forming with the support a substantially trough-like receptacle into which the binder may be set, means for supporting said upstanding members for rocking adjustments and said supporting members being proportioned to engage the binder substantially at the hinge connectionsrespectively between the covers and the back members when the binder is normally inserted in the device and its covers are spread apart, said upstanding members being loosely mounted in slots in the support for free lateral movement to provide that the back members are free to move up and down by movement relative to each other on the hinge connection between them.

at. Binder supporting means comprising a shallow trough-like structure having side members spaced sufliciently to admit the back portion of the binder freely between them, the side members being loosely mounted at their lower portions whereby their upper portions may be moved toward and away from each other.

ALFRED M. MARTIN. 

